Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced plans to hire more than 100 aircraft technicians on a daily wage basis to address a shortage of staff in its engineering department. Interviews have already begun for candidates who completed apprenticeships at PIA, with the goal of offering them contract-based positions. A spokesperson for PIA confirmed the decision, stating that the recruitment process is well underway.
Although technicians are being hired, there has been no decision regarding the recruitment of aircraft engineers. The last group of engineers was brought on board in 2016. Since then, 65 technicians and 45 engineers have resigned from PIA, opting to work for other domestic and international airlines, exacerbating the staffing issue.
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In another significant development, a British delegation has arrived in Pakistan to assess the country’s aviation safety standards. The team, from the UK Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is reviewing the standards of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to pave the way for the resumption of flight operations between Pakistan and the UK.
Meanwhile, PIA’s recent advertisement for Paris flights has sparked controversy. During a Senate session, Senator Sherry Rehman criticised the ad, which featured a PIA plane next to the Eiffel Tower with the tagline “We’re coming.” She argued that it led to public ridicule and questioned the status of PIA’s privatisation plan, which remains under debate.
